Ascent of Fuji-san on 1996-08-19

Ascent Trip Report

We left camp 5 at around 6 PM on Sunday night and hiked up the switchbacks for a few hours. Eventually we stopped in one of the huts to sleep for a bit and wake up in time to get to the top for the sunrise. We slept in the cramped hut until very early the next morning when we got up to keep climbing. After another hour or so the switchbacks disappeared and the trail became steeper. We got to the top in time for the amazing, red sun to come up over the low clouds. It was beautiful. We walked around the crater for a little while and ate a bite at the top. After an hour or so we decided it was time to go down. I was very young at the time, just about to turn 7, and I felt the altitude a little so that also was a factor in leaving the summit quickly. The way down was harder for me, the loose rock on the trail kept getting in my boots. However, we were allowed to borrow a metal tray after the switchbacks began and slide down the side all the way down to the camp where our car was parked. This is not allowed any longer on the mountain due to erosion, but it sure was a fun and quick way to get down the mountain, albeit a bit dangerous. Overall, fantastic trip to a legendary mountain.